Otterbein University: Library Collaboration with the Theatre Department and Alumni Relations to build special collections in the Institutional Repository

The Archives of Otterbein University are housed in the Courtwright Memorial Library and include a rich collection of materials from the Theatre and Dance Department as well as numerous publications, yearbooks, journals, scrapbooks, and historical items that are of great interest to alumni. The University Archivist and Digital Initiatives Librarian have reviewed and determined which items would be of greatest interest and value to constituents. As a result, they have digitized roughly 50 years of Theatre programs, images, review and other paraphernalia as well as 100 years of yearbooks. The presentation will include a discussion of how collaboration and partnerships were developed in addition to a detailed description of the methods used to manage the projects and numerous student workers who assisted.

Sarah Whybrew is the Digital Initiatives Librarian at Otterbein University and has managed their Institutional Repository, The Digital commons@Otterbein, for three years. In addition to her digitization work, she is a liaison to the following departments at Otterbein: Education, Undergraduate and Graduate, Sociology, Race & Ethnic Studies and Equine Science. She has worked on several campus wide projects including Digital Accessibility and the design of a Records Retention Policy.

Stephen D. Grinch is the archivist of Otterbein University, a position he has held since the summer of 1998. In addition to his duties as curator and historian, Stephen works with Sarah to identify the historical collections that need to be digitized and uploaded to the Digital Commons. He has an extensive background in music and theatre, which has proven to be an asset with this particular project.